Socialist youth movement Blitz demonstrated against SIAN's demonstration in front of the parliament building on Saturday. On one occasion, two groups attempted to confront, but police stopped them quickly and arrested four people.

While 20 people turned up to support SIAN, almost 40 attended to the anti-SIAN demonstration.

SIAN had announced on its website before the demonstration that the Muslim prophet would be both "insulted" and "offended" at the ceremony.

The Nordic Page, 29 September 2012

SIAN had boasted that their demonstration, which was called in protest against Muslim opposition to so-called freedom of expression, would establish a "sharia-free zone". SIAN leader Arne Tumyr was quoted as stating that his organisation had forked out 5,000 kroner for an advert in the national daily Dagladet and that lots of people would be coming.

See also NRK, 29 September 2012

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Rival marches by a far-right group and anti-fascists have passed off without major incident. The Scottish Defence League (SDL) and Unite Against Fascism held separate marches towards St Andrew's House in Edinburgh where they also held their own rallies.

Lothian and Borders Police said around 80 people were at the SDL event while around 300 attended the counter-protest. The force said it organised an extensive police operation for the events and that no one was arrested.

Luke Henderson, of Unite Against Fascism, said: "It was fantastic: the streets of Edinburgh belonged to the anti-racists today. We really represented the diversity that makes Edinburgh the multicultural and vibrant city that it is today."

Press Association, 26 May 2012

See also BBC News, 26 May 2012

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